Firearm



June 9, 1942. WILLIAMS 2,286,133

FIREARM Filed Oct. 13, 1939 4- Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

M. W/L L mus TTO:

D. M. WILLIAM S FIREARM June 9, 1942.

4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed 001:. 13, 1959 June 9, 1942. D. M. WILLIAMS 2,286,133

FIREARM Filed Oct. 13, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 'r E E IN V EN TOR.

17A v/n N. W/LL/AMS T0 NEYS June 9, 1942. D. M. WILLIAMS FIREARM Filed Oct. 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR. Dav/17 M. WILLIAMS Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFHIE FIREARM David M. Williams, Godwin, N. 0.

Application October 13, 1939, Serial No. 299,227

3 Claims.

This invention relates to firearms of the type in which the firing of a shell or cartridge in the chamber automatically initiates the movements necessary to unlocking the breech, removing the fired shell from the chamber, transferring a fresh shell from the magazine to the chamber, and again closing and locking the breech, leaving the gun in condition for a second firing.

The present inventions are in the nature of improvements upon the inventions disclosed in my prior application, Serial No. 45,084, filed November 15, 1935, Patent No. 2,144,951 issued January 24, 1939.

The firearm disclosed in the earlier application departs from conventional autoloading firearms practice in that it is neither gas-operated nor recoil-operated in the sense in which these terms are ordinarily used. The operation is initiated by the rearward displacement of a portion of the head of the shell or cartridge, such displacement producing a short rearward movement of an actuator extending longitudinally through the breech block and having, a head which engages the head of a shell in the chamher. The actuator operates upon certain parts which are arranged to perform the functions incident to reloading, all such parts being comfortably housed within a stock and receiver of desirable external appearance.

According to the disclosure of the earlier application the aforementioned actuator operates upon a driver of large mass, which driver has a substantially direct connection with the breech opening devices, and the mass ,of the driver is depended upon to perform the breech unlocking and retracting operations. As an incident to the rearward movement .of the driver and breech mechanism, a breech closing spring housed in the stock is cooked, and after the breech is fully opened said spring serves to restore the breech to closed position and to lock it. While the connection between the driver and the breech opening devices comprises a short stifi spring, this spring serves merely to obviate the shock and jar incident to a direct metal-to-metal contact. The power for opening the breech'is derived from the momentum of the massive driver.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a breech opening mechanism for autoloading guns, which does not function by mass or momentum; instead, the driver has been converted into a member having merely the function of transmitting the motion which it derives from the actuator to an action opening spring, thereby stressing this spring so that it subsequently performs the operations incident to opening the breech. The driver has no connection whatever with the breech mechanism,

but acts instead to energize or store power in a tracted position while the motor energized thereby performs its function of unlocking and opening the breech.

A further object is to provide devices for latching parts of a firearm which are moved under power derived from the firing of a cartridge in stressed position until other parts have been moved or displaced to the desired extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel devices for the joining of separable parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, a representative embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation of a firearm including one embodiment of the present invention, the firearm being shown in ready-to-fire position. It is assumed that there a is a shell in the chamber ready for firing, the hammer is cooked, and the breech is closed and locked.

Fig. 1A is a fragmentary sectional side elevation view which is a continuation of Fig. 1 showing the receiver and the component parts therein.

Fig, 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the condition of the mechanism immediately after the firing of the cartridge and before the breech has been unlocked. The actuator has been displaced rearwardly, carrying the driver to its rearmost position and thus cocking both the action opening spring and the action closing spring. The parts which are subsequently 0perated by these springs remain in the same condition and position as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2A is a fragmentary sectional side elevation view which is a continuation of Fig. 2 in a manner similar to Fig. 1A.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional side elevation, showing the gun fully opened. The action closing spring remains fully cooked, but the stress in the action openin s ring has been removed by the improved trigger joining the action opening spring abutment to the action slide link pull rod.

Fig. 8 is an assembly view, partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

The firearm comprises a receiver in to which is secured a barrel ii and a stock H0. The receiver houses a breech block l2 which is longitudinally apertured to receive an actuator l3 provided at its rear end with a head It. The actuator is to be displaced rearwardly upon the firing of a cartridge in the chamber through a distance of the order of magnitude indicated by the difference in the positions of the actuatorshown in Fig. 1A and 2A respectively. Preferably but not necessarily, such displacement of the actuator is effected in the manner described in my prior application above-identified; however, any other suitable or convenient means for displacing the actuator as an incident to firing may be provided. Fig. 1A shows the breech block 12 in its forward position in which it is locked by the engagement of shoulder 85 thereon with an abutment H5 in the top of the receiver. The breech block is held in an elevated position, causing said shoulder to engage said abutment by means of an action slide 61 provided with a surface i8 which engages the underside of a foot IS on the breech block. Immediately in front of the locking surface 118 of the action slide I! is a notch 26 bounded by a rearwardly and upwardly inclined cam 2! adapted to cooperate with a forwardly and downwardly inclined cam 22 on the breech block to efiect the lowering and unlocking of the breech block and coupling it to the action slide I! for reciprocation therewith. To the action slide I7 is connected a rearwardly extending action slide link 23. The means for joining the parts I! and 23 preferably comprise a transversely extending and downwardly opening notch 24 in the action slide (see Fig. 5), a T-head 25 on the action slide link adapted to engage in the notch 24, and a retaining plate 26 slidably mounted, preferably in a T-slo't, in the bottom of the action slide. Means are provided for holding the retaining plate 26 in effective position, which means may comprise a plunger 21 and a plunger spring ,28 in a recess in the action slide. The head of plunger 21 engages an aperture 29 in the retaining plate, the aperture 30 being aligned with and of less area than the plunger 21. The plunger may be pressed out of the recess 29 to permit the slide to be retracted, and when so retracted the plate is frictionally engaged by the plunger head, thereby preventing the plate from accidentally falling out.

The fire control mechanism is preferably mounted on a trigger plate 3| held in the receiver I0 by means of projecting ears 32 (Fig. 4) and a cross pin 33. In assembly, the ears 32 are inserted through vertical slots in the receiver sides into which the ears are moved as the trigger plate is moved rearwardly into position. As-

sembly pin 33 passes through aligned. apertures in the sides of the receiver and the upstanding hammer 36 having a notch 31 adapted for engagement by a nose 38 of a sear 39 which is preferably integral with a trigger 40, the trigger-sear member being mounted on a pivot pin 4| and urged into hammer engaging position by a spring 42 preferably compressed between the underside of the sear and the floor of the trigger plate, which is recessed to receive it, the recess communicating with a transverse aperture which contains the safety bolt. A spring pilot and safety abutment 43 depends from the sear and cooperates with a transversely movably safety bolt 44, located in an aperture near the top of the front of a trigger guard 45. The hammer is urged forward by a hammer spring 46 surrounding a spring pilot 41 joined to a forked link 48 pivoted to the hammer. The rear end of hammer spring 46 engages an abutment which is preferably a shoulder on a piece 49 secured to the trigger plate and apertured to receive the portion of the spring pilot when the hammer is in cocked position and the hammer spring compressed.

The device for preventing doubling (the firing of more than one cartridge on a single pull of the trigger) comprises a three armed member supported on the trigger pivot 46. A forwardly extending arm 5! of said three-armed member overlies the sear, its upwardly extending arm 52 comprises a nose 53 adapted to engage a shoulder 54 on the hammer, and its downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 55 engages a spring 56 preferably held in a recess in the trigger and acting to urge the nose 53 into engagement with the hammer shoulder 54. It will be apparent that if the trigger is held depressed while the hammer is cooked the nose 53 will engage a cam surface 58 on the hammer and be cammed rearwardly until nose 53 clears shoulder 54, after which the spring 56 moves said nose into holding engagement with said s'houlderrthus holding the hammer in an over-cocked position in which there is a slight clearance between the sear nose 38 and the hammer notch 31. The hammer is thus held until the trigger is released, when the hammer advances until the sear nose 38 engages hammer notch 31. Thus, a second pull of the trigger is essential to the firing of a second cartridge. The trigger is slotted to receive the portions of the three-armed antidoubling member adjacent its pivot.

The means for securing the stock I I 0 to the receiver l0 preferably constitutes a housing for the power mechanism for performing the functions incident to reloading. Secured to a transversely extending rear end wall 59 of the receiver is a tubular member 60 provided with an exteriorly threaded and preferably enlarged end portion 6|. A second tubular member 62 of larger diameter is provided at its forward end with an internal collar G3 threaded to engage the threads of the part 6|. The stock is bored and counterbored to substantially the exterior dimensions of tubular members 60 and 62, providing a shoulder 64 adapted for engagement by the end of collar 63. The stock is thus secured in place by screwing tube 62 forward on its threaded connection with tube 60. Since this tube is entirely housed with- I in the stock, it is desirable to provide in the rear ward end of housing tube 62 is closed by suitable means such as a screw-threaded cap 66 which forms an abutment for the action closing spring 81 and may support an elastic or shock deadening buffer 68 adapted for engagement by the action opening mechanism to be described.

Housed partly within the receiver and partly within the tubular member 60 is a thrust tube 10, the function of which is to transmit the thrust it receives from the actuator 13 to the aforementioned action closing spring 61 and likewise to an action opening spring 1!. The forward end of the thrust tube abuts the actuator head Hi, and adjacent its forward end it is slotted at the top as shown at 12 to provide clearance for the hammer. The lower part of the forward end of the thrust tubeis entirely out away'to provide clear ance for the action slide link 23 and associated parts to be described. Substantially the entire length of the exterior surface of the thrust tube proper is provided with longitudinal ridges 13 separated by spaces 15 for the purpose of reducing its frictional engagement with the tubular housing 60 through which it moves longitudinally. The rearward end of the thrust tube is provided with an enlarged head 15 lying within the action closing spring housing tube 62. Said head is provided with a rearwardly facing abutment 16 which receives the forward end of the action closing or return spring 61. The action opening spring 1| lies within the thrust tube 10 and its forward end engages an abutment 11 on said tube while its rearward end engages a head 18 secured to the rear end of a rod 19 provided at its forward end with a head 80 within which head is pivoted at 8| the rear end of the action slide link 23. Preferably, the head 80 is provided with transversely extending flanges 82 occupying longitudinal slots in the thrust tube; this arrangement being for the purpose of preventing undesirable rotation of the thrust tube.

The assembly of the action opening spring in the mannerheretofore described necessitates the securing of the head 18 to the rod 19 with the assembly in place within the thrust tube 10. For this purpose, the following devices may be provided: Secured to the spring abutting portion of head 18 is a sleeve 83 adapted to receive internally an enlargement 84 at the end of rod 19. In sleeve 83 is formed a modified bayonet slot comprising an open ended longitudinally extending portion 85 communicating with a transversely extending portion 06 which in turn communicates with a second longitudinally extending portion 81, Slot 81 extends both forwardly and rearwardly from the transverse slot 86 and is closed at both ends, From the enlargement 84 projects a stud 88, and the rear face of head 18 is provided with a tool engaging slot 89. In assembly, the open end of slot 85 is aligned with stud 88 and the head is thrust forward against the compression of spring 11 until the stud is opposite the transverse slot 86; the head is then rotated to bring the stud opposite the longitudinal slot 81 and the head is then permitted to be moved rearwardly by spring 1|, bringing the stud into the forward end of said slot 81.

Due to the rapid reciprocating motion of these parts the stud may not remain in the forward end of the slot, but is liable to be displaced to a position opposite the transverse slot 86 and while in this position the head may so rotate as to permit the stud to pass out of the open slot 85. Such a malfunction is prevented by the use of a ball or plunger 90 and spring 9! (Fig. 8) housed in a recess in the enlargement 84 of rod ii. The relative angular position of. plunger and stud 88 is such that when the stud is in the slot 91 the plunger engages the continuous margin of slot 85, thereby preventing such rotation of the head as would align stud 88 with slot 85. The end of plunger is rounded to provide a cainming engagement with the margin of slot 85 so that it can be depressed to permit the rotation of the head necessary for disassembly and thereafter frictionally holds the head in the position to which it may be moved.

Due to the fact that the thrust link 10 is displaced to its rearward (Fig. 2) position before the breech block is moved, and when in this position is strongly urged forwardly by the compressed action closing spring 61, it is desirable to provide means for retaining the thrust link in its rearmost position while the breech mechanism is opening and to release it when the breech is fully opened and ready to perform its closing movement under the power of spring 61. The devices for this purpose which are illustrated in the drawings are constructed as follows: Pivoted at any convenient point in the trigger plate, for example upon the hammer pivot 35, is a thrust link latch identified generally by the numeral 92. Said latch is designed to provide clearance for the hammer and bifurcated hammer spring link; hence, it comprises two arms 93 and 94 joined near their rear end by cross piece 95 and each provided with an upstanding locking shoulder 96. Preferably to the rear of the shoulders 96 are inclined surfaces 91. The latch is urged upwardly by suitable means such as springs 98, one located and partly housed in each of the two arms of the latch and being compressed against the floor of the trigger plate which may be recessed to receive them. The spacing of shoulders 96 corresponds to the spacing of the two sides of the forward end of the thrust link 10, which sides are extended downwardly in cam surfaces 99 to cam the latch downwardly as the thrust link moves rearwardly. When the thrust link has cleared the shoulders 96 the latch member is elevated by its springs 98, bringing said shoulders into the path of movement of the thrust link and preventing its forward movement until the latch has been displaced downwardly to free the thrust link from shoulders 96. The

means for thus displacing the latch downwardly when the action has been fuly opened comprises inclined cam surfaces I00 on the rear end of the action slide cooperating with the inclined surfaces l0l of ears I02 on the shoulders 96. When the action slide has reached its rearmost position the latch has been moved to disengage the thrust tube.

The operation of the gun may be described as follows: Figs. 1 and 1A illustrate the gun in ready-to-fire condition. The hammer is cocked and held in cocked position with the hammer spring compressed by the engagement of sear nose 38 with hammer notch 31; the safety plunger 44 has been moved to the left to permit hammer disengaging displacement of the sear: both action opening spring 1| and action closing spring 61 are extended; the thrust tube 10 is held forward by the action closing spring 61, its forward end being in engagement with the actuator head l4; and the action slide link 23 is held forward by the engagement of head 80 with the abutment 801 on the thrust tube, thereby holding the action slide l1 forwardand the breech locked.

When the trigger is pulled the hammer moves forward and upward, engaging the firing pin and firing the cartridge in the chamber. Upon such firing, the actuator head I4 is displaced rearwardly to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 2A under the impulse derived from such movement of the actuator head the thrust link moves rearwardly to the position likewise illustrated in Figs. 2 and 2A is held in such position due to its engagement by the shoulders 96 on the latch 92. In doing so it compresses the action opening spring H, the forward end of this spring being carried to the rear through its engagement with the abutment I1 and the rear end remaining unmoved due to the resistance to movement of the parts associated therewith. It will be remembered that at this time the breech block I2 is strongly urged rearwardly due to the high pressure within the gun chamber induced by the firs ing of the cartridge, and due to the inclination of the breech block shoulder is the breech block is strongly urged downwardly into frictional engagement with the surface l8 of action slide H. The rearward movement of the thrust link has likewise compressed the action closing spring 61 by carrying rearwardly the abutment 16 of said spring.

When the chamber pressure has been sufliciently reduced to remove the excessive friction between foot IQ of the breech block and surface l8 of the action slide, the energy stored in action opening spring II will move head 18, rod 19, action slide link 23 and action slide l1 rearwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 3. In this movement the breech has been unlocked and simultaneously coupled to the action slide by the action of cooperating cams 2| on the action slide and 22 on the breech block, moving the foot Id of the breech block into notch 20 of the action slide, and thus the breech is fully opened. The action closing or return spring 61 remains compressed, but the action opening spring has been restored substantially to its normal condition. During the latter part of its rearward movement cams on the action slide have displaced the thrust tube latch and the power stored in action closing spring 61 now acts to restore the thrust tube and action slide link and parts associated therewith to the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1.

The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment herein described and illustrated in the drawings, but is susceptible to other embodiments, all falling within the scope of the appended claims, Which claims are to be broadly construed:

What is claimed is:

1. An autoloading firearm comprising a chamber; a chamber closing breech block; an actuator held in said breech block and displaced in said breech block through a short stroke by the firing of a cartridge in said chamber; a thrust member actuated through a long stroke by said actuator; connections for moving said breech block comprising a rod; an opening spring abutting said rod and said thrust member at all times and constructed and arranged to enable complete movement of said thrust member without displace ment of said rod; a return spring abutting said thrust member, said opening spring and said re turn spring being energized by the movement of said thrust member by said actuator, said opening spring being within said thrust member, and said connections transmitting the force of said opening spring to said breech block.

2. An autoloading firearm comprising a chamber; a chamber closing breech block; operating means associatedwith said breech block for controlling the opening and closing thereof and the operations incident to reloading said chamber; an actuator displaced through a short stroke by the firing of the cartridge in said chamber; a thrust member actuated by the cartridge explosion; a shoulder on said thrust member; a spring abutting said shoulder and adapted to be energized by said thrust member; connections between said spring and said operating means; and releasable locking means adapted to hold said thrust member after actuation by the cartridge explosion until the energized spring has opened the breech block.

3. An autoloading firearm comprising a chamber, a chamber closing breech block movable from a normal position to a breech opened position, an action slide having operative engage ment with said breech block and adapted to control the opening and closing thereof and the operations incidental to reloading said chamber, an actuator displaced through a short stroke by the firing of a cartridge in said chamber, a thrust member operated by said actuator from a normal position through a long stroke to an energized position, a latch adapted to hold said thrust member in such energized position, a shoulder on said thrust member, a breech opening spring abutting said shoulder and adapted to be energized by the movement of said thrust member to energized position. connections between said opening spring and said action slide, av second shoulder on said thrust member adapted to limit the movement of said connections,.. a return spring abutting said thrust member, and means on said action slide becoming effective as said breech block approaches opened position to disable said latch and enable the return of said thrust tube and said breech block to normal position by said return spring.

DAVID M. WILLIAMS.

v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,286,155. June 9, 19m.

DAVID H. WILLIAMS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 11., first column, line 11., for "Figs. 2 and 2A" read -Fig. A, and"; and line 8, for "Figs. 2 and 2A read "Fig. 2A andand that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform I to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

- Signed and sealed this 18th day of August, A. D. 19L 2.

Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

A CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. I Patent No. 2,286,155. June'9, 19L 2.

DAVID H. WILLIAMS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page LL, first column, line )4, for "Figs. 2 and 2A read --Fig. 2A, and--; and line 8,

for F'Figs. 2 and 2A reside-Fig. 2A andand that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of August, A. D. 19).;2.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

